On a cold, gray, rainy day I drove through the mountains of the Auvergne and when I turned the last bend in the road, I knew in an instant that Château du Sailhant and I had found each other.
– Joseph Pell Lombardi
Perched above a waterfall that drops into an ancient pool, the Château du Sailhant is one of Auvergne’s most breathtaking castles. A living monument, it has outlasted a thousand years of natural disasters, wars, and political upheavals — not without some help of course.
In 1997, it cast its spell over the American architect Joseph Pell Lombardi. Lombardi then embarked on an odyssey of a project, dedicating his energies to Sailhant’s meticulous restoration. Altogether his intervention — a true masterwork of soul and bravura — took fifteen years to complete. In many respects, his efforts are the principal reason why Sailhant will endure as one of the architectural treasures of Cantal.
I caught up with Lombardi to learn more about Sailhant’s extraordinary heritage.
A.D. Manns: Auvergne has a number of picturesque and historic castles. What for you was most alluring about the Château du Sailhant?
Joseph Pell Lombardi: When I acquired Château du Sailhant there was a history of the prior owners, but no information about the building history. Determining its chronology and identifying the very ancient portions was a very exciting discovery for me.
AM: Which aspects of the restoration and research process did you find most challenging?
JPL: The stabilisation of the towers was the most challenging aspect of the restoration. They were built as semi-circles below the roof line, but above the roof they were extended as full circles resting on wood beams. Repairing the compromised beams was very challenging.
AM: How familiar were you with Cantal before purchasing the castle? What do you love most about the department?
JPL: I was unfamiliar with Cantal before purchasing Sailhant — the Château drew me to the Department. I quickly fell in love with Cantal due to its rural nature, dramatic volcanic mountains, very specific customs and whimsically carved, wood furniture.
AM: How well did Sailhant fare during the French Revolution? Did it, like other aristocratic properties, also fall victim to looting?
JPL: The Sailhant fared very well during the French Revolution. At the time it was occupied by a tenant-farmer, hence no damage occurred.
AM: What is the oldest artwork in the castle?
JPL: The oldest and most important artwork in Sailhant is the late 11th century Vierge a l’Enfant en majeste in the chapel.
AM: What would you say are the strangest or most curious features of the castle and its grounds?
JPL: The grotto under the inner court is curious; it appears to be a natural feature of the basaltic stone.
AM: Have you uncovered any ghost tales or “hidden treasure” anecdotes associated with Sailhant’s early residents or caretakers?
JPL: During the nineteenth century the cascade lake was drained in a fruitless attempt to find the treasure of the Dubourg family, the wealthy 16th century owners.
